Lost in the Mist, Found in the Pines

There’s something about a week-long trip that changes the way you see a place. My family and I have learned the hard way that rushing only leads to exhaustion, so this time, we gave Kodaikanal a full seven days. We checked into the Sterling Kodai Lake resort, took a deep breath, and decided to let the hill station set our pace. The vibe of the place really hooked us. We spent our mornings cycling or boating around Kodai Lake, and our afternoons strolling through the crisp air at Coaker’s Walk. We made sure to see it all—the breathtaking hike out to Dolphin’s Nose, the endless colors at the Rose Garden, and even a tour of India’s oldest solar observatory. We definitely didn’t hold back on the food joints, either, and trying our hand at chocolate making at the local factory turned out to be a sweet highlight. But the trip actually began long before we hit the hills. For the first time in years, we traveled as a family by rail to the nearest station before grabbing a taxi for the winding climb up to Kodaikanal. Being back on a train together felt like the perfect way to reset. Getting lost in the mist and wandering through those tall pines, we realized that when you have enough time, you don’t just visit a destination—you actually get to settle into it. It was exactly the kind of unhurried, meaningful time together that we’d been craving.